Textile yarn winding structure



Feb. 15, 1966 F. scRAGG 3,235,192

TEXTILE YARN WINDING STRUCTURE Filed June 25, 1965 I 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Quand f {ww- Feb. 15, 1966 F. scRAGG 3,235,192

TEXTILE YARN WINDING STRUCTURE Filed June 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE NTOR: Fna/nick 5cm??? BY pulsa/(7 .ff/772,

. 3,235,3192` TEXTELE YARN WINDING STRUCTURE Frederick Sci-agg, Mobberley, England, assigner to Ernest Scragg & Sons Limited, Macclesfield, England Filed June 25, 1963, Ser. No. 290,537 Claims. (Ci. 242-355) The `present invention relates to apparatus for winding textile yarns.

More particularly, the invention relates to machines designed to wind yarn packages. Such winding machines require each winding spindle to be rotated at a fairly high speed, and the yarn has to be laid in the form of a package on a suitable support which is carried by the winding spindle, the laying of the yarn being eifected by a rapidly translating linger which moves back `and forth over the surface of the package while the latter is being formed, so that in this way a yarn-traversing structure is provided to distribute the yarn along the package during the formation thereof.

Structures of the above type conventionally are used to wind a plurality of packages, and the conventional structures have the disadvantage of requiring a conside'rable amount of space and of being relatively complex.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present `invention t-o provide a textile yarn winding .apparatus which is of greater compactness and greater simplicity than conventional structures known for this purpose.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of this type where a single mechanism can be used to eifect the winding of a plurality of yarn packages.

lt is also an object of the present invention to provide a structure where a plurality of mechanisms 'of the above type can bo conveniently arranged in a single supporting structure.

It is furthermore an object of the present invention `to provide a structure of the above type where a single conveniently duplicate the various mechanisms `which are required to operate during the winding of the packages.

With these objects in View, `the invention includes, in a yarn winding apparatus, an elongated hollow support means having its interior divided into a plurality of compartments arranged in a row along the hollow support means. Within each compartment is located a transverse 4shaft which extends'across each compartment `and is supported for rotation by the support means, each shaft extending to the exterior `of each compartment where the rotation of the shaft will be used for rotating a yarn package. Within each compartment there `is also located a cam means which is coaxial with each shaft and freely rotatable with respect thereto, and a yarn-traversing means is actuated by each cam means and extends to the exterior of the support means for distributing vthe yarn along each package.

The novel features which are considered as characteristie for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of part of a structure ac# cording --to the present invention, FIG. l showing the structure at the left end ofthe apparatus and FIG. l

United Se@ Patent 055C@ ,support means 11 at the exterior thereof.

its actual position for the sake of conveniently making the best use of the space available for FIG. l so that FIG. l should be viewed from `the left thereof to give the proper lorientation of the structure of the assembly; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view of the structure of FIG. l taken along line II--H of FIG. l.

Referring new to the drawings, the winding apparatus includes an elongated hollow support means 11 in the form of an elongated metallic channel member whose hollow interior is divided up into a row of compartments 12 one of which is shown in the drawings. Each of the compartments 12 houses an entire mechanism for rotating a spindle 143, -a pair of which are visible in FIG. l, and in addition each compartment houses the mechanism for actuating the yarn-traversing finger 14 associated with each package.

Within each `compartment is located a transverse rotary shaft 15 which extends across the interior of each compartment 12 through the side walls of the support means 11 to lthe exterior thereof so `that each shaft 15 has apair of free end portions respectively located on `opposite sides of each compartment 12 at the exterior thereof, and the free ends of -each shaft 15 ixedly carry a pair of cylindrical rollers 16 and 17, as indicated in FIG. 2, the rollers 16 and 17 being respectively located at opposite sides 'of each compartment. As is apparent from FIG. l a pair of package-carrying spindles 13 are associated with each cylindrical roller, so that the pair of spindles 13 shown in FIG. l associated with the cylindrical roller 16 are duplicated by a second pair of spindles `13 at the other side of the support means and associated `with the cylindrical roller 17 Each spindle 13 is turnably mounted on an arm 18 which is pivotally carried by the Thus, the support means 11 carries `at each side of each compartment 12 a single supporting plate member 19 which is fixed to the support means 11, and this single plate member 19 pivotally supports at its outer free ends a pair of the arms 18 which respectively turnably support 'the spindles 13 in a manner well known in the art. Of course, the plate 19 which is shown in FIG. l is duplicated by a second plate which is located on the opposite side of the support means l1 and which supports a .pair of arms 18 which are associated `with the cylindrical roller 177. A spring `means is operatively connected to each arm 13 to urge the latter toward `the roller with which it is associated. Thus it will be seen that this spring means takes the form of 'a spring 20 connected at one end to each arm 18 and at its opposite end to the plate 19 `for lurging the arm 18 toward the cylindrical roller, and it is of course the action of the spring 20 which maintains the package in engagement with the roller during formation of the package, sothat in this way. the lpackages will be rotated. Thus, the several lpackages or cheeses `21 of yarn 22 will be rotated by `frictional engagement with the exterior peripheries of the cylindrical rollers 16 and 17.

The yarn 22 which `is formed into the packages or cheeses 21 is directed -to the packages over guides 23 and then over further guides 24 which are carried by the support means 11 in the manner shown in FIG. l, and from the guides 24 and the yarn 22 engages the traversing finger 14 to be distributed by the latter along each package 21.

`Each arm 13 has a hollow interior portion in which a spring-pressed peg `25 is located, land `this peg is springurged toward the shaft 27 carried by the plate 19 and on which each arm 1S is pivotally supported. These shafts 27 which respectively support the arms `le are Patented Feb. l5, i965 fixed to the plates 19 and the arms 18 are turnable with respect to the shafts 27 so that the spring-pressed pegs 25 are also turnable with respect to the shafts 27, and each shaft 27 is formed with a notch or recess 26 capable of receiving the springpressed peg 25 when the operator swings an arm 18 outwardly away from the cylindrical roller. Thus, manual movement of a selected arm 18 about its pivotal support 27 can bring the arm into an inoperative position in which it is releasably maintained, in opposition to the spring 20, by engagement of the peg 25 in the notch 26, and while the arm 1S is thus maintained in this inoperative position the operator can conveniently remove a full cheese and start a new one, after which the operator by simple pressure on the arm 1S can displace the peg 25 out of the notch 26 so that the spring 20 can again hold the package in engagement with the roller 16 or 17 during the rotation of the package.

It is to be noted that while FIG. 2 shows at its lower portion a complete unit of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows at its lowermost part the upper portion of the assembly which is the same as the assembly of FIG. 2 and of FIG. 1 but which is the next assembly adjacent to the assembly which is shown in its entirety in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Each winding shaft passes horizontally through each compartment 12 of the hollow support means 11, and in the side walls of the channel member or support means 11 are located a pair of sealed bearings 28 which serve to rotatably support the rotary shaft 15 of each compartment 12. The several shafts 15 are driven from a common endless chain 29 which meshes with sprocket wheels 30 respectively fixed to the several shafts 15, so that all the shafts 15 of the several compartments 12 are driven from a common drive chain 29. The endless chain 29 is itself driven from a sprocket wheel 31 fixedly carried by a shaft 32 supported for rotation in the manner shown at the upper part of FIG. 2 and extending to the exterior of the gear box shown at the upper part of FIG. 2 where the shaft 32 is fixed to a pulley 34 driven by suitable belts from a similar pulley which is driven by the motor 35.

Of course, instead of providing the above-described drive for the several shafts 15, these shafts 15 may be driven by a single common drive shaft extending along the entire length of the support means 11 and connected through bevel gears, for example, to the several shafts 15 so as to rotate the latter, or the several shafts 15 may carry pulleys at the exterior of the support means 11 to be engaged by a common driving belt. However, the particular structure described above and shown particularly in FIG. 2 is preferred because of its simplicity and compactness and because it can conveniently be located within the interior of the common support means 11.

A traverse-cam means 36 is located in each compartment 12, and this cam 36 is rigidly lfixed with a hollow shaft portion 37 through which the shaft 15 freely passes so that the cam means 36 is freely turnable with respect to the shaft 15 while at the same time being supported thereby for free rotation. The several hollow shafts 37 fixedly carry sprocket wheels 38 all of which mesh with a second common endless sprocket chain 39, and this latter chain 39 is driven from a sprocket wheel 40 which is also located in the same gear box as the sprocket wheel 31, this sprocket wheel 4f) being turned through suitable gearing 41 from the same shaft 32 which drives the sprocket wheel 31, so that the single driving motor 35 drives all of the gearing in the gear box 33 to provide a common drive means for the several shafts 15 and the several traverse cam means 36. Of course, in this case also it is possible to provide Va single elongated shaft connected through bevel gears, for example, to the several shafts 37, and it might also be possible to provide the several shafts 37 with pulleys to be driven from a common belt, but the above-described structure is preferred again because of its siliiplieity and compactness as well as because it can be located conveniently within the interiur of the elongated hollow support means 11 and can be driven at a suitable speed from the gear assembly within the gear box 33 to provide the several cams 36 with the proper speeds of rotation.

The structure for distributing the yarn along the several packages 21 includes the earn-followers 42 which are located in the cam track at the periphery of each cam 36. Thus, each earn 36 is formed at its periphery with an endless groove receiving a pair of the cam fol'- lowers 42, as shown in FIG. 2, and the configuration of the cam 36 in 'each compartment 12 is' such that during a single rotation of the cam 36 each follower 42 will be horizontally reciprocated back and forth across the compartment 12 to a predetermined extent which will of course determine the width of each package 21; Each cam follower 42 is carried by a slide-'block 43 formed with an opening passing therethrough and receiving a slide `rail 44 on which each block 43 is freely slidable so that the rotation of the cam 36 provides movement of the blocks 43 back and forth along the rails 44. A shaft 45 of relatively small diameter is fixed to each block 43 or is otherwise engaged or operatively connected therewith so that each shaft 45 will reciprocate with each block 43, and each of these shafts 45 carries at its ends the yarnguiding fingers 14 which serve to distribute the yarn across the package. Thus, a yarn-traversing means is formed by the shafts 45 and the fingers 14 as well as by the blocks 43 and the cam followers 42 for distributing the yarn along the several packages. The support means 11 carries at the sides of each compartment bearings in which the ends of the shaft 45 slide, and these hollow tubular bearings are formed with elongated slots through which the fingers 14 freely extend so that thereA is no ob struction to the reciprocation of the several fingers 14.

Each compartment 12 of the elongated hollow supporting channel 11 is provided with an unillustrated cover` and each compartment may have in its interior a pool of `oil at the bottom of the compartment so that a part of the mechanism, such as the rotary cam 36, for example, may dip periodically into the oil pool so as to distribute the oil constantly over the entire winding mechanism which is located within the compartment 12, and of course the sealed bearings 28 prevent escape of oil to the exterior of the support means 11.

Although it is not essential, it is preferred that the structure which drives the several fingers 14 incorporate a pattern breaking device 51 (known in the art) for the purpose of avoiding vpiling of yarn at those points in the package structure where the rate of revolution of the spindle is an exact multiple of the rate of oscillation of the finger 14.

The above-described structure of the invention provides a self-contained series of mechanisms all of the same character and all adapted to wind cheeses or cones of textile yarn, the construction providing a very compact set of parts in each compartment, together with easy oiling and simplified drive.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find -a useful application in other types of textile apparatus differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in yarn winding apparatus, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a textile yarn winding apparatus, in combination, elongated hollow support means having a plurality of compartments in its interior; a transverse rotary shaft turnably carried by said support means at each of said compartments thereof and extending across each compartment to the exterior of said compartment at each side thereof for rotating a pair of yarn packages at the exterior of and respectively at the sides of the compartment; traverse cam means coaxial with each shaft and supported for free rotation with respect to each shaft in each compartment; yarn-traversing means operatively connected to each cam means and extending to the ex terior of each compartment for distributing yarn along each package which is turned by said shaft; and means for driving said shaft means and said cam means.

2. A textile yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, elongated hollow support means having a plurality of compartments in its interior; a transverse rotary shaft turnably carried by said support mea-ns at each ot' said compartments thereof and extending across each lcompartment to the exterior of said compartment at each side thereof for rotating a pair of yarn packages at the exterior of `and respectively at the sides of the compartment; traverse cam means coaxial with each shaft and supported for free rotation with respect to each shaft in each compartment; yarn-traversing means operatively connected to each cam means and extending to the exterior of each compartment for distributing yarn along each package which is turned by said shaft; and a single drive means common to and operatively connected to each shaft and cam means for driving the latter.

3. In a textile yarn winding apparatus, in combination, elongated hollow support means having a plurality of compartments Vin its interior; a transverse rotary shaft turnably carried by said support means at each of said compartments thereof and extending across each compartment to the exterior of said compartment at each side thereof lfor rotating a pair of yarn packages at the exterior `of and respectively at the sides of the compartment; traverse cam means coaxial with each shaft and supported for `free rotation with respect to each shaft in each compartment; yarn-traversing means operatively connected to each cam means and extending to the exterior of each compartment for distributing yarn along each package which is turned -by said'shaft; a sprocket wheel o iixedly mounted on each shaft; an endless drive chain engaging the sprocket wheels for driving the shafts in the several compartments; a motor operatively connected to said chain for moving the latter so as to rotate said shafts through said sprocket wheels; and means for driving said cam means.

4. A textile yarn winding apparatus comprising, in combination, elongated hollow support means having a plurality of compartments in its interior; a transverse rotary shaft turnably carried by said support means at each of said compartments thereof and extending across each compartment to the exterior of said compartment for rotating at least one yarn package at the exterior of the compartment; traverse cam means coaxial with each shaft and supported -for free rotation with respect to each shaft in each compartment; yarn-traversing means operatively connected to each carn means and extending to the exterior of each compartment for distributing yarn along each package which is turned by said shaft; a sprocket wheel xedly mounted on each shaft; an endless drive chain engaging the sprocket wheels for driving the shafts in the several compartments; a motor operatively connected to said chain for moving the latter so as to rotate said shafts through said sprocket wheels; a plurality of additional sprocket wheels respectively xed to said cam means -in the several'compartments; and a second endless chain respectively engaging said plurality of additional sprocket wheels and operatively connected to the same motor which drives said lfirst-mentioned chain so that the cam means of the several compartments and the several shafts are driven from a commondrive.

5. In a textile yarn winding apparatus, in combination, elongated hollow support means having `in its interior a plurality of compartments arranged in a row; a plurality of transverse shafts extending across said compartments and through the support means to the exterior thereof at opposite sides of said compartments with eachshaft having free ends located beyond each compartment; a pair of cylindrical rollers respectively carried by the ends of each shaft at the exterior of each compartment; means carried by said support means `at the exterior of said compartments forfmaintaining in engagement with each cylindrical rollerat least one package which is rotated by engagementV with the cylindrical roller during rotation of said shaft; traverse cam means coaxial with each shaft lin each compartment and freely turnable with respect to each shaft; yarn-traversing means operatively connected to each cam means and extending therefrom to the exterior of said support means at opposite sides thereof for distributing the yarn across a pair of packages whichrespectively engage `the pair of cylindrical rollers which are respectively fixed to the free ends of each shaft; and means for driving said shafts and said cam means..

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 and wherein said support means pivotally carries at the exterior of each compartiment vat the opposite sides thereof a pair of arms which respectively carry spindles for the packages which are rotated by engagement with said cylindrical rollers; and spring means connected to each arm for urging the latter toward each cylindrical roller.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 and wherein each arm has ya hollow interior and car-ries in its hollow interior a spring-pressed peg, said support means including a. memlber formed with a recess for receiving said peg when said arm is swung away from said cylindrical roller for releasably maintaining said arm in an inoperative posit-ion.

8. In -a textile yarn winding apparatus, in combination, elongated hollow support means having in its interior a row of compartments distributed therealong; a transverse shaft extending across each compartment `and rotatably carried by said support means, each sha-ft having a pair of free ends located beyond each compartment; a pair of cylindrical rollers respectively xedly carried `by the free ends of each transverse shaft at the exterior of said support means; means carried by said support means at each side of each compartment for holding in engagement with each cylindrical roller a pair of yarn packages to be rotated by each roller during rotation of said shaft; traverse cam means freely turnable on each shaft in each compartment; a pair of yarn-traversing means each having a pair of yarn-traversing fingers, said pair of yarn-traversing means cooperating with each cam means and extending therefrom to the exterior of each compartment at each side thereof for distributing the yarn with said fingers respectively across the Ifour packages which engage the pair of cylindrical rollers at the opposite sides of each compartment; and means for driving said shafts and said cam means.

9. In a textile yarn winding apparatus, in combination, elongated hollow support means having in its interior a row of compartments distributed therealong; a transverse shaft extending across each compartment :and rotatably carried by said support means, each shaft having a pair of free ends located beyond each compartment; a pair of cylindrical rollers respectively fixedly carried by the free ends of each transverse shaft at the exterior of said support means; means carried by said support means at each side of each compartment for holding in engagement with each cylindrical roller a pair of yarn packages to be rotated by each roller during rotation of said shaft; traverse cam means freely turnable on each shaft in each compartment; a pair of yarn-traversing means each having a pair of yarn-traversing fingers, said pair of yarn-traversing means cooperating with each cam means and extending therefrom to the exterior of each compartment at each side thereof for distributing the yarn with said fingers respectively across the four packages which engage the pair of cylindrical rollers at the opposite sides of each compartment; and a single drive means common and operatively connected to said shaft and said cam means for driving the latter.

10. In a textile yarn winding apparatus, in combination, support means; a plurality of shafts supported for rotation by said support means; a plurality of cylindrical rollers respectively carried by said shafts for rotation therewith; means carried -by said support means for maintainling `in engagement With said rollers a plurality of packages with each roller engaged by at least one package which is rotated by engagement with said roller; a plurality of traverse cam means supported for free rotation by said plurality of shafts; 4a plurality of yarn-traversing means respectively connected operatively to said plurality of cam means to be operated thereby for distributing yarn across said packages; rst moving means operative ly connected to said shafts for rotating the latter and including a moving member common to all of said shafts; and second moving means operatively connected to all of said cam means for rotating the latter and including a second moving member common to all of said cam means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,146,452k 7/1915 Rotter 242-355 2,292,725 8/ 1942 Treckmann 242-43.1 2,647,697 8/ 1953 Pollock 242-355 2,776,098 1/ 1957 Baumann 242-129.51 2,888,215 5/1959 Genovese et al. 242-355 2,919,865 1/1960 Doherty 242-355 3,092,339 6/1963 Hill et al. 242-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,512 1909 Great Britain.

422,401 6/ 1924 Germany.

646,364 7/ 1928 France.

909,078 11/ 1945 France.

988,365 4/ 1951 France.

341,419 11/ 1959 Switzerland.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TEXTILE YARN WINDING APPARATUS, IN COMBINATION, ELONGATED HOLLOW SUPPORT MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS IN ITS INTERIOR; A TRASVERSE ROTARY SHAFT TURNABLY CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AT EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS THEREOF AND EXTENDING ACROSS EACH COMPARTMENT TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID COMPARTMENT AT EACH SIDE THEREOF FOR ROTATING A PAIR OF YARN PACKAGES AT THE EXTERIOR OF AND RESPECTIVELY AT THE SIDES OF THE COMPARTMENT; TRAVERSE CAM MEANS COAXIAL WITH EACH SHAFT AND SUPPORTED FOR FREE ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SHAFT AND EACH COMPARTMENT; YARN-TRAVERSING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO EACH CAM MEANS AND EXTENDING TO THE EXTERIOR OF EACH COMPARTMENT FOR DISTRIBUTING YARN ALONG EACH PACKAGE WHICH IS TURNED BY SAID SHAFT; AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SHAFT MEANS AND SAID CAM MEANS. 